Pesticide & Herbicide Application

Thread: warm season fall pre thoughts

On all my warm season turf I usually try to apply simazine in November for control of poa and winter weeds. The problem is I always get in trouble with leaves. I have some lawns without trees and they aren't the problem, but I have many lawns where I can't seem to catch up with the leaves long enough to get a good window for the application. So most times the simazine application happens in December. That usually does a great job with controlling the weeds, but I will get some early break through. I'm seeing weeds and poa now.

I was talking with the local super at the country club and he said a university turf guy recommended 1 qt/acre of atrazine in October and 1 qt/acre simazine in December. I like the idea of that split app for increased control and getting the pre down before and after the bulk of leaf season. Plus I could eliminate the 3-way that I normally mix with my pre. Atrazine/simazine is a very low cost application.

Our turf usually stops growing in October, and turn brown after the first frost.

Any reason why I can't use that application schedule on all my warm season turf? My warm season consist of mostly centipede and bermuda with a few st aug and zoysia mixed in. Thoughts?

Yes, we have live oaks and a water oak which resembles Live Oaks, however they drop their holly-like leaves now up till about January. They have to be picked up with a mower because of the same situation you have. After the pick-up, I put down sulfur and before the next crop comes down, the simazine a a lower rate. March 1st--almost like clock work the Live Oaks drop their leaves and its all over again. At one time I though about mulching the leaves to help with the acidification of the sandy soil, but that didn't work without mowing too close, so it was back to the pick-up which was sorta nice on lazy days and temps nice.
So in the end--there ain't an easy fix or time on the coast. After that more overdressing with compost around those same trees that zap the nutrients.

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We all are merely gleaners from the masters who were here before us.

I do split apps. 0-0-8 stonewall granular in late sept/october and Stonewall liquid Nov-Dec. Perhaps I should flop the applications around due to the leaves. So far have only had a small few properties hindered due to too many leaves.

On all my warm season turf I usually try to apply simazine in November for control of poa and winter weeds. The problem is I always get in trouble with leaves. I have some lawns without trees and they aren't the problem, but I have many lawns where I can't seem to catch up with the leaves long enough to get a good window for the application. So most times the simazine application happens in December. That usually does a great job with controlling the weeds, but I will get some early break through. I'm seeing weeds and poa now.

I was talking with the local super at the country club and he said a university turf guy recommended 1 qt/acre of atrazine in October and 1 qt/acre simazine in December. I like the idea of that split app for increased control and getting the pre down before and after the bulk of leaf season. Plus I could eliminate the 3-way that I normally mix with my pre. Atrazine/simazine is a very low cost application.

Our turf usually stops growing in October, and turn brown after the first frost.

Any reason why I can't use that application schedule on all my warm season turf? My warm season consist of mostly centipede and bermuda with a few st aug and zoysia mixed in. Thoughts?

I think your weather patterns are similiar to mine and I am faced with the same situation. In my area if you get your apps down in early Oct you should beat the leaves? Of course this app should be Simazine because the bermuda & zoysia will not be dormant. As for the Atrazine you need to ask someone in your area when the bermuda/zoysia will be dormant enough.